Dear Glutton,
I’m in town for SXSW, and while I am super excited to see Austin I’m also FREAKING OUT because there are so many cool things to see/hear/do/eat. Help me!
– Overwhelmed
OK champ, you did it! You made it through the week, you’re strong, you can handle this: Today you’re waking up early (or, let’s be real, staying out late) and getting in line at Franklin Barbecue. I know, I know. Nothing sounds worse right now than standing in line for hours waiting for a big pile of smoked meat. But both you and I know that the first thing people are going to ask you about Austin when you get back home is if you tried the brisket, and what are you going to do, lie? Yeah, that was probably your plan, wasn’t it? But trust me, it’s worth the wait. Or at least, that’s what I hear; I live here, remember, I can always keep promising myself that I’ll check it out eventually, when you chump tourists aren’t clogging up the line. If you play it right, you should be wiping crumbs of bourbon banana pie off your lip by the time they close at 3pm, giving you plenty of time to walk off those meat sweats before Yacht’s 4:45 set at Barracuda.
Franklin Barbecue
900 E. 11th, 512/653-1187
www.franklinbarbecue.com
Barracuda
611 E. Seventh, 857/323-0872
www.barracudaaustin.com
This article appears in March 18 • 2016.